Packet merchandising machine



Dec. 16, 1958 C, GABRIELSEN 2,864,532

PACKET MERCHANDISING MACHINE:`

g 75 I o 64 5290 84 IIEIC] I: t l

Dec. 16, 1958 c. GABRIELSEN PACKET MERCHANDISING MACHINE 2 Sheecs-SheefI2 Filed June 4, 1953 l i l l [Il f I, f 1 rif/l JNVENTOR. CHP/s r/m/Gaaf/5455# Arron/EY Hmm PACKET MERCHANDISING MACHINE ChristianGabrielsen, Mountain Lakes, N. J., assignor to Rowe Manufacturing Co.,Inc., Whippany, N. I., a corporation of New York Application June 4,1953, Serial No. 359,516

1 Claim. (Cl. 221-92) My invention relates to a packet merchandisingmachine and more particularly to an improved packet merchandisingmachine providing a large capacity in a relatively small space for anumber of varieties of merchandise, such as brands or flavors of gum.

Packet merchandising machines of the prior art have a relatively limitedcapacity for merchandise relative to the space occupied by working partsof the machine. moreover, they are limited as to the number of varietiesof merchandise which can be dispensed by a single machine and aresubject to -being jammed by the packets of merchandise during adispensing operation. Packet merchandising machines of the prior arthave a plurality of containers adapted to hold a number of columns ofmerchandise to be dispensed. The arrangement is such that the suppliesof merchandise in the respective containers are successively exhausted.In practice, when the supply of packets reaches a level where a numberof packets remain in the last column from which 'mere chandise isdispensed, or sometimes before this, the machine is refilled. As themachine is operated, the refill packets are first dispensed until thesupply is again partially depleted and some or all of the same packetsin the last column remain. As a result of this method of dispensing andrefilling, some of the merchandise in the front column becomes stale ormay spoil with a resulting loss to the supplier.

I have invented an improved packet merchandising machine which providesa large capacity for a number of varieties of merchandise in packets ina relatively small space. My improved packet merchandising machine isdivided into compartments each having a plurality of containers thereinadapted to contain respective columns of merchandise. I providedispensing means for depleting the supplies of merchandise in therespective containers in succession at the same rate. Then too, I haveprovided my machine with an empty lock to prevent operation of themachine when the supplies of merchandise in the respective containershave become depleted to a predetermined extent. That is, a few packetsremain in each column after the empty lock operates. When the machine isloaded, the refill packets are placed in the containers over these fewremaining packets. When the machine is operated after a refill, the fewpackets remaining in each column before the refilling operation will befirst dispensed, thus eliminating the danger of the packets remainingafter the empty lock operates becoming stale or spoiling. The leaving ofseveral packets in each column provides means for preventing themerchandise from assuming a position where it will jam the machine,since a weight of a column of merchandise on the bottom packet is alwaysensured. Means are provided for preventing the packet next to bedispensed from being jarred or fished out. Means are also pro` videdbetween columns for preventing the bottommost packets in the columnsfrom adhering to the packets above the bottommost packets and thusinterfering with the proper functioning of the machine. My improvedUnited States Patent C) merchandising machine is adapted to dispense anytype of merchandise in packets. For example, it may dispense gum inpackets or any type of packaged confection which may be stacked.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved packetmerchandising machine having a large capacity relative to the spaceoccupied by the working parts of the machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved packetmerchandising machine which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple inconstruction and capable of dispensing a large number of types ofmerchandise in packets.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved packetmerchandising machine which has means for preventing jamming of themachine by the merchandise.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved packetmerchandising machine having an empty lock to prevent operation of themachine when the` supply of merchandise has become depleted to apredetermined extent.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of an improved packetmerchandising machine having a housing which is divided into anyconvenient desired number of vertical dispensing compartments. Withineach compartment I arrange a plurality of containers to hold columns ofpackets of merchandise and dispensing means to dispense the packets insuch a manner that the supply of packets in all columns is exhausted atthe same' rate. I have provided my machine with means which prevents apacket from jamming the dispensing means and an empty lock whichprevents operation of the dispensing means of a particular compartmentwhen lthe merchandise in the columns of that compartment is at apredetermined low level.

ln the accompanying drawings which form part of the instantspecification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith an inwhich like reference numerals are used to indicate like partsin thevarious views:

Figure l is a perspective View of my improved packet merchandisingmachine.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale with parts broken awayof my improved packet merchandising machine taken along the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of my improved packet merchandising machineon an enlarged scale taken along the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of my improved packet merchandising machinetaken along the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

More particularly referring now to the drawings, a housing, indicatedgenerally by the reference character l0, is divided into a plurality ofdispensing compartments by partitions 12. Each compartment is providedwith a plurality of containers for packets. Within the housing l0between a side 14 thereof and one of the partitions 12 I arrange a coinregister 16 of any appropriate type well known in the art. On the frontpanel 18 of the housing 10 adjacent the side 14 I provide a coin slot 20for conducting coinsA to the coin register, a coin return lever 22 and acoin return recess 24. In front of each of the dispensing compartmentsformed by the partitions l2 I arrange a plunger 26 and a deliveryaperture 28 into which the merchandise is to be delivered.

Within each of the compartments formed by the partitions 12 I arrange apanel 30 adjacent the rear panel 32 of housing 10, as can be seen inFigure 2. In front of panel 30 at spaced intervals, I arrange pairs ofinwardly directed vertical flanges 34 and a last pair of inwardlydirected vertical flanges 36. Panel 30 and flanges 34 and 36 form anumber of columns 38, 40 and 42 in which the packets of merchandise tobe dispensed are disposed. On each of the partitions 12 forming aparticular compartment below the containers 38 to 40 I arrange inwardlyextending horizontal brackets 44 on which are mounted guide rails 46 byany appropriate means such as rivets 48. It is to be noted that thelowermost one of the packets of merchandise arranged in columns 38 to 42within the compartment rests on the upper surfaces of a pair of rails46.

A number of dispensing pushers, indicated generally by reference numeral50, are mounted on pins 52 in a pitch chain 54 carried by sprocketwheels 56 and 58. The pushers are so arranged that one will traverse theplurality of containers before another contacts a column of packets. Inother words, the distance between pushers is slightly more than theaggregate width of the plurality of packets held by the containers in asingle compartment. This construction is important to maintain asuccessive dispensing of packets from the several columns in alignedrelation. Pushers 50 are formed as right angles and have one flange 60upstanding from the surface of chain 54 and a second flange 62 which hasa pair of ears 64 attached to pin 52. The flange 62 is provided with apair of lateral extensions 66 which ride between the undersurfaces ofguide rails 46 and the upper surfaces of flanges 44 as can be seen inFigure 4. Guide rails 46 and flanges 44 thereby prevent lateral movementof the pushers 50.

As can be seen by reference to Figure 2, I mount pivoted baffles 68 onpins 70 extending across the compartment below the ends of flanges 34above guide rails 46. The pivoted baffles prevent upper packets frombeing carried along with the bottommost packets by friction or adhesion.Flanges 34 have bifurcations 72 formed at their lower ends to provideshields for batlles 68.

Sprocket wheel 58 is fixed on a shaft 74 rotatably mounted in bearings`(not shown) in the side partitions 12. Sprocket wheel 56 has a hub 76fixed by means of a set screw 77 to a shaft 78, rotatably mounted inbearings 80 and 82 in partitions 12. A plurality of radially spaced,axially extending pins 84 are carried by a disk 83 having a hub 85 alsofixed to shaft 78 by appropriate means such as a set screw 87. A bellcrank lever, generally indicated by reference numeral 86, is rotatablycarried by a stub shaft 88 on one of the partitions 12 forming acompartment. A link 90 is carried by a pin 92 on one ot' the arms 94 ofbell crank 86. Link 90 has a socket 96 on one end thereof for successiveengagement with the pins 84. To ensure the engagement of link 90 withone of the pins 84, l provide a spring 98 xed at one end to a pin 100 onbell crank 86 and at the other end to a lug 102 on the end of link 90opposite socket 96. The bell crank 86 is normally urged to rotate in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, by a spring 104 fixed at oneend to pin 100 and at the other end to a pin 106 on a partition 12.

The arm 108 of bell crank 86 has a lug 110 thereon for engagement withthe foot 112 of an operating link 114. Operating link 114 is connectedat its upper end as viewed in Figure 2 with a link 116 on one of theplungers 26 by means of a pin 118. lt is to be noted that arm 108 ofbell crank 86 is formed with a notch 109 adapted to engage one of thepins 84 when bell crank 86 is in its full line position shown in Figure2 to prevent overrun of disk 83.

Between links 114 and 116 on pin 118 l arrange a knife 120 which isadapted to cooperate with locking slides 122 arranged in bracket 124. Asis well known in the art, these locking slides extend all the way acrossthe machine and prevent the actuation of the remainder of the dispensingmeans when one of the dispensing means corresponding to a compartmenthas been actuated. In addiwidth of the machine through slots 128 in thepartitions 12 and adapted to slide up and down within the slots. Thisoperating bar prevents the operation of any of the dispensing meansuntil such time as coins in the proper amount have been placed in thecoin register 16 and may be of the type disclosed in my Patent No.2,494,805, issued January 17, 1950.

Panel 30 has an opening 130 formed near its lower end as can be seen inFigure 2. This opening leads into a delivery chute 132 formed by arcuatemembers 134 and 136. The delivery chute 132 leads into the deliveryaperture 28. A door 138 is mounted on a pin 140 at the end of panel 30and is normally urged by a spring 142 in a direction to partially closethe opening 130 as shown in the full line position in Figure 2. When apacket of merchandise is being dispensed, the door will be urged to thebroken line position shown in Figure 2 by the packet against the actionof spring 130. This door prevents the rear packet from being jarred orfished out.

One of the pair of container flanges 36 in each oompartment is formedwith a slot 144. Adjacent the slot 144 is an ear 146 to which I attachan emptyl lock 148 by means of a pivot pin 150. While merch.:ndiseremains in the column 42 the packets bear against an extension 152 onlink 148 and holds it in the full line position shown in Figure 2. Whena predetermined amount of merchandise, for example two packets, remainsin column 42, link 48 will rotate by gravity in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in Figure 2, to the broken line position thereshown. In this position the end 154 of link 48 is in a position toengage one of the pins 84 and prevent rotation of sprocket wheel 56 bylink 90. Owing to the small size of the packets of certain merchandise,as for example gum, jarring the machine might displace a single packetof gum. To

prevent this I actuate the empty lock while more than one packet remainsin each column. That is, the weight of the column of packets above thelowest holds the packet in position within the compartment. This notonly aids in preventing packets from being jarred out of the machine butalso aids in preventing the lowest packets from assuming positions whereone of them might jam the machine.

It will be appreciated that each of the compartments formed bypartitions 12 has an individual dispensing means; that is, there is oneshaft 78 for each compartment and an individual actuating mechanism foreach of the sprocket wheels 56. The only mechanisms common to allcompartments are the locking slides 122, the operating bar 126 and thecoin register.

In use, the customer first deposits the required coin or coins in coinslot 20. The coins fall into the coin register and free operating bar126 in the manner described in my Patent 2,494,805. The customer thendepresses the plunger 26 corresponding to the selected variety ofmerchandise. This action pulls link 116 and thereby link 114 downwardlyas viewed in Figure 2.

In this operation, knife 120 actuates locking slides 122 to prevent theactuation of any of the other means 26 in a manner well known in theart. When link 114 moves downwardly, its foot 112 depresses operatingbar 126 which has been freed by the coin in the coin register androtates the bell crank lever 86 through lug 110 against the action ofspring 104 to the broken line position shown in Figure 2. Link 90 isheld to a position where its socket 96 engages one of the pins 84 onsprocket wheel 56 by means of springs 98. When bell crank 86 is rotatedby link 114, it forces link 90 to the left and downwardly to the brokenline position shown in Figure 2 thus rotating sprocket wheel 56 andshaft 78 in its bearings and 82. The rotation of sprocket wheel 56advances chain 54 in a direction to carry a pusher 50 on the top of thechain to the right as viewed in Figure 2. Assuming one of the pushers tobe tion, I provide an operating har 1.2 6 ,extending across -the 75tially in a position where it engages a packet C, upon actuation it willpush the packet C in column 42 `to the rig-ht and packet C in turnpushes packets B and A in the same row to the right. It is to be notedthat the amplitude of motions and the number of pins 84 on sprocket 56is such that one operation of the dispensing linkage will move pusher 50one column to the right as viewed in Figure 2. This will result inpushing the lowest packet A in column 38 into the dispensing chute 132against the action of door 138, as shownin Figure 3.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that after the firstdispensing operation, the packets in column 42 move downwardly so thatthe packet F which was above the packet C now occupies the lowermostposition. Packet C is now lowermost in column 40 and the packet B islowest in column 38, packet A having been dispensed. It is to be notedalso that baflles 68 are now held in substantially horizontal positionsbetween packets. They thereby prevent packets above the lowest incolumns 38 and 40 from occupying positions in which they might jam thepusher 50. On the succeeding dispensing operation, as the same pusher 50moves one column to the right and baille 68 below the left-hand ange 34,as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, rotates by gravity back to a substantiallyvertical position, the packets in columns 40 and 42 move down one,packet C is now lowermost in column 38 and the packet B hasbeendispensed. On the lnal dispensing operation of a cycle, packet C isdispensed and both bales 68 have rotated to a substantially verticalposition and the machine is ready to begin a second cycle.

It will be appreciated that the number of pushers 50 corresponds withthe number of columns, and a single cycle includes a number ofdispensing operations corresponding to the number of columns. Thereby Ihave arranged my machine so that the supply of merchandise in all thecolumns is substantially simultaneously depleted, assuring none of themerchandise will become stale. After each dispensing operation, spring104 rotates bell crank 86 in a clockwise direction, and notch 109engages one of the pins 84 to prevent overcarry of sprocket 56. Shields72 assure that the packets of merchandise in each column are properlypositioned as they come down in the columns so that they will not foulthe baies 68.

When the number of packets of merchandise in col' umn 42 is depleted toa predetermined level, for example two, as illustrated, link 148 will nolonger be held in the full line position of Figure 2. Since no packetbears on extension 152, link 148 rotates by gravity to the broken lineposition shown in Figure 2. If a customer attempts to actuate thedispensing mechanism associated with this compartment, the end 154 oflink 148 will prevent the rotation of sprocket 56 so that no merchandisewill be dispensed. The customer may then press coin return lever 22 sothat his coin is returned to him or he may make another selection. Asmentioned hereinbefore, doors 138 prevent access to the merchandisethrough delivery chute 132 or accidental release of a packet by jarringthe machine.

Thus it will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of myinvention. My dispensing machine is simple and inexpensive to construct.I have provided an improved packet merchandising machine which has alarge capacity in a relatively small space and in which the supplies ofmerchandise in respective columns are depleted at the same rate. Inaddition, I have provided an improved packet merchandising machine whichis capable of dispensing a large variety of merchandise.

My machine includes an empty lock associated with each compartment toprevent dispensation of a packet from the compartment when the supplytherein has reached a predetermined low level. My machine also has meansfor preventing access to or accidental release of a packet so thatmerchandise is dispensed only when the proper amount in coins has beeninserted in the coin slot.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated 'by and is within the scope of myclaim. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in detailswithin the scope ofmfy` 'claim without departing from the spirit of myinvention. It is therefore to -be understood that my inventionis not tobe limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A packet merchandising machine including in combination a housing, anumber of containers formed in said housing one behind the other andadapted to receive packets of merchandise, a pusher, means mounting saidpusher for movement to dispense packets of merchandise from saidcontainers, a drive shaft for said pusher mounting means, a wheelcarried by said drive shaft for rotation with it, a plurality of spacedpins carried by said wheel adjacent its periphery, a pawl for engagingsaid pins to drive said wheel to step said pusher, and actuating meansfor said pawl, said actuating means including a bell crank having a pairof arms, means pivotally connectiong one of said arms to said pawl, theother of said bell crank arms being formed with a recess adapted to beengaged by one of said pins to position said wheel to prevent overrun ofthe wheel after an actuation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 412,469Cochran Oct. 8, 1889 690,068 Mills Dec. 31, 1901 821,761 Stanley May 29,1906 823,955` Meredith June 19, 1906 977,437 Davis Dec. 6, 19101,200,244 Sears Oct. 3, 1916 1,287,514 Tenner Dec. 10, 1918 1,530,387Marra Mar. 17, 1925 1,548,670 Echols Aug. 4, 1925 1,564,540 DinwiddieDec. 8, 1925 1,603,576 Beelman Oct. 19, 1926 1,824,441 Miller Sept. 22,1931 1,830,371 Morin Nov. 3, 1931 1,838,167 Wheeler Dec. 29, 19311,859,964 Galt May 24, 1932 2,100,752 Scheurer Nov. 30, 1937 2,309,008Pease Ian. 19, 1943 2,314,632 Rear Mar. 23,1943 2,348,400 Manspeaker May9, 1944 2,546,986 Dressler Apr. 3, 1951 2,578,545 Haase Dec. 11, 19512,645,366 Renard July 14, 1953 2,653,068 Goodnight Sept. 22, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 339,764 France 1904 610,070 France Aug. 30, 1926 638,840Germany 1936

